Data Questioned in Gun Control Trial

DENVER (CN) – The plaintiffs’ key witness in Colorado’s gun control trial missed several mass shootings for his studies on gun regulations and violence, an attorney for the Colorado Attorney General’s office argued. Friday was day five in a federal trial brought by 31 Colorado pro-gun groups and people who claim that three bills regulating gun use in Colorado are un-constitutional. Defense attorney Matthew Grove called Florida State Criminology Professor Gary Kleck back to the witness stand Friday morning to ask him more questions about his studies of gun control and violence. On Wednesday, Kleck told plaintiff’s attorney David Kopel that his data showed that the reasoning behind Colorado’s gun laws is flawed because it did not look at all cases where firearms and violence were involved. Kleck was excused early Wednesday because he had to fly back to Florida to teach a class. The defense called him back Friday and claimed that maybe the professor’s studies don’t look at the whole picture either. Grove asked Kleck where he found all of his examples of mass shootings. Kleck said they came from news articles. “Let’s see the stories you missed,” Grove replied. For 45 minutes, Kleck read aloud cases in which people were killed in mass shootings nationwide. For each example, Grove asked “Does that story meet your criteria?” Kleck replied yes to every question. “Did you cover it?” Grove asked. “No,” Kleck responded. Grove pointed out 29 mass shootings that Kleck did not cover in his studies. Grove then said that Kleck must have not had as comprehensive as a list as he thought. However, Kleck disagreed. “That’s not true. I try to be as comprehensive as I could and rely on all the ones I can find,” Kleck said. The defense has indicated that they plan to rest on Wednesday or Thursday. The bench trial will end on Friday.